Divine Intervention
by AllThatBensidy
Summary: Olivia Benson finally has a story that she is proud to call her own, but her story takes a turn for the worst when she loses her husband to a tragedy. Four years pass and she's accepting the fact that she will most likely be a single parent. Little does she know, the person that comes knocking on her door is going to change her life forever.
1. Just His Luck

_Fatum /ˈfaː.tum/ n. 1. fate, destiny. _

* * *

"Fucking hell," Brian Cassidy murmured under his breath, "Just my luck."

He had been on his way home from a late night at work. He worked as a sports agent for the New York Yankees and they had just lost the game that, had they won, would have sent them to the World Series. Frustrated and angry, Brian left the stadium and headed over to his friend's house for a drink. He was about 15 minutes out from his friend's place when his car stopped. He was in Queens, which was, by middle class standards, a nice neighborhood. He stepped out of his black Mercedes and popped the hood, there was steam and lots of it but in all honesty, Brian had no idea what he was looking at. He slammed the hood shut and pulled out his iPhone. To make his night even better, it was dead.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He muttered to himself. He put his phone back and kicked the side of his car, successfully denting it. He was at least an hour away on foot and he didn't want to ruin his suit. His only option would be to ask somebody for a phone or flag down a cab. Being that it was 6:30 on a Tuesday night, he assumed that there would be no cabs in the area anytime soon. Looking around, he decided it wouldn't be a big deal to ask to use a phone and headed towards the nearest house he could see.

* * *

"Baby, I need you to help mommy out tonight and help clean up your toys." Olivia Benson called down the hall to her four-year old daughter, Sophia. When she heard no answer, she walked down the hallway into her bedroom.

"Soph, what are you do-" She stopped in the middle of her sentence when she saw her daughter skipping towards her with something that made tears fill her eyes faster than anything had in a long time.

"Look, mommy, I finded this for you." Sophia said, handing her mother the book that she was holding. Olivia's hands were trembling and tears were threatening to spill as the took the journal from her daughter and held it, not daring to open it.

"Sophia, go watch TV for a bit, okay?" Olivia said with a shaky voice. Sophia nodded her head and smiled, her mom very rarely let her watch TV without cleaning up her toys, let alone wanted it. She ran down the hall and Olivia closed the door behind her.

Olivia stumbled over to her bed and slowly sat down on it; she let her eyes fall to the slightly tattered journal in her hand and lightly ran her thumb over the cover. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she opened the book. Each page was neatly filled with the words and thoughts from Ryan, the person she thought would be there with her through everything. The bottom of every entry were dated and initialed "RP", she flipped page after page after page until she got to the last journal entry. Her tears were falling steadily and she couldn't see clearly anymore. She had never read Ryan's journal before, it was an unspoken rule. After the accident, Olivia got rid of most of his things, but couldn't bear to give up his journal, especially since he had written in it on the day of his death. She had yet to read that entry, choosing to tuck the journal away in her closet.

But it was time now. She needed to read it, know what his final thoughts were. Her hands shaking, she willed her tears away and began reading.

_January 4th, 2009, 7:46 AM_

_Olivia is asleep right now and Sophia just went down for her nap after being nursed. I figure this is the only writing I will get done for a little while. It's a new year. I honestly don't know how this year will be able to top last. I spent my first full year as a husband to the most beautiful woman on the planet and I got to watch her grow and bring our precious daughter, Sophia Peyton, into the world. I know I already wrote about this, but I still can't get over just how amazing it was. Liv and Soph are my entire world, literally. I can't even begin to imagine where I would be without them. I wouldn't be where I am now, that's for sure. Things aren't perfect and we have our problems. With Sophia being unplanned, I can't say we were financially ready for her. I wouldn't change one moment of the pregnancy or timing of it, but I can't help but wish we had been in a more stable situation when she was born. When I think about how we are financially, I wish it was all different. But each time I see one of my girls smile, I know it's all going to be okay. Liv doesn't know yet but I am trying to find an opening at NYU. Being a teacher at Queens Preparatory is fine but it's not going to make ends meet. NYU has better pay, more adjustable hours, and most college students don't care if their professors are present or not. I also want to be able to provide for my family so that Olivia can settle down; she has given everything to her job over the past 10 years and deserves to put her papers in and spend time with our daughter. Speaking of my two lovely ladies, Olivia is waking up, my cue to start making her breakfast._

_Here's to making this year great,_

_RP_

Olivia didn't even realize how hard she was crying until she felt a tug on her sweats.

"Mommy?" A small voice filled the air. Olivia pulled herself together and picked her daughter up, settling her on her lap,"Why are you cryin'?" Sophia asked, bringing her small hand to Olivia's cheek.

Olivia tried to think of the best way to explain to her daughter why she was crying; she didn't want to lie to her but she was still too young to understand, completely, why Olivia had become emotional, "Mommy was just thinking of your daddy, baby."

"I don't have a daddy?" She asked, innocently.

"You do have a daddy, Sophia, he just isn't with us anymore. But he used to be. He was mommy's best friend in the whole world." Olivia said with a sad smile.

"I am, too." The overly confident four-year old added. Hesitantly, Sophia looked up at her mother, "Mama, why did my daddy leave us?"

"I don't know, baby. God just had different plans for our family." Olivia tried her best to explain to her innocent daughter why her father wasn't with them, why he was so brutally taken from them. She knew eventually that Sophia would become curious on the matter, it was inevitable, however, she expected to have more time. But really, she knew that there would never be a good time to explain her husband's death.

"Am I gonna get a new daddy?" She asked. Olivia hadn't ever really considered the thought of re-marrying, nobody could replace what she had already lost. She held her daughter tighter against her chest and ran her fingers through the toddler's light brown hair.

"I'm not sure right now, Soph, but no one, no matter what, will ever be able to replace your daddy in my heart." Olivia whispered to her daughter, tears making their way down her face once again. Sophia, being Olivia's twin in every way, kissed her mother's cheek softly and rested her head on her mother's shoulder. Olivia kissed Sophia's forehead and held her tightly, crying for what she had lost.

"I think I know what will make you feel better, mommy." Sophia commented, wanting to do whatever she possibly could to make Olivia feel better, even though Olivia knew that nothing would ever be enough.

"I'll go clean up my toys all by myself, okay?" Sophia suggested, scooting off of Olivia's lap. Olivia nodded, watching as her little girl ran towards the door, making sure to turn around and give Olivia her best smile before she left. Her smile was all Ryan and she thanked God that that small piece of him would always be with her.

She let a few more tears fall before picking up the journal again and closing it. She ran her fingertips over the slightly torn binding and took in a staggered breath. She was going to return the journal to it's hidden place in her closet, but then decided to keep it on her bedside. She had yet to read the other entries and, after reading the last one, knew that she wanted to know as much of her husband as she possibly could. The information about him that she would be able to get was incredibly limited and she was grateful for every word he wrote.

Olivia moved to set the journal on her nightstand, but not before bringing it up to her face and inhaling ever so slightly, it even smelled like him. The smell brought back so many of her life's greatest memories; the big things like their first date and her wedding, and the smaller things like when he would get home from work and try to sneak up on her, always failing because his shoes squeaked on the hardwood floor. How he would randomly start dancing with her while she was cleaning. What she missed the most was their nightly routine before Sophia was born.

Each night, Ryan would could home before Olivia make her dinner or, if she had obviously had a rough day, they would order in and rent a movie. There were at least five minutes in every day that they would spend cuddled up on the couch, talking mindlessly. Around ten or eleven, they would make their way into bed and fall asleep in each other's arms or, on a good night, they would make love to one another until their eyes couldn't stay open any longer. It wasn't perfect but it was them and neither one of them would have traded it for anything.

Olivia hadn't been held by anybody in over four years.

"Mommy," Olivia heard a tiny, frustrated voice call out from the living room. She composed herself and went to see her daughter as she attempted to shove the lid of her toy bucket closed. Olivia laughed to herself and watched in awe at her daughter's determination to get it done. Olivia walked over and snapped the lid shut with very little effort and smiled as her daughter looked up in shock.

"How about we eat some dinner then watch a movie, that sound good?" Olivia asked, not even needing an answer as her daughter ran to the pantry, happily suggesting that they have mac and cheese for the fourth night in a row.

"Of course," Olivia agreed. It was easier than dealing with a tantrum, not that Sophia was an argumentative child, but all kids had their fits and when it came to mac and cheese, Olivia didn't stand a chance against the four-year old.

But in all honesty, she wouldn't change a thing.

* * *

Brian looked down the street and contemplated which house to approach. Based purely on gut instincts he chose a cream, two-story home with a small princess table on the front porch.

Sighing, he made his way up the pathway that led to the front door.

Before he got the chance to knock the door flew open, "Hi." a tiny, sweet voice greeted him.

"Uh, are your pare-" Brian was cut off by what he could only describe as an angelic voice,

"Sophia, I have told you so many times not to open the door if mommy isn't there. It's dangerous and you know better. Who are you talking to?" Olivia's voice was calm yet worried and Brian was instantly impressed at her maternal skills.

Not only did he instantly notice her parenting skills but her striking beauty, as well. Brian had been with his fair share of women, that was putting it lightly, and they were all what he had described as "sexy" or "hot" but this woman was truly breathtaking to him and he wasn't quite sure how to deal with what he was feeling towards this woman, this complete stranger. God, he didn't even know the woman.

"Go finish your dinner, baby." Olivia said, giving Sophia a push towards the dining room before directing her attention back to the man at her door.

"Can I help you?" She asked.

"Uh, y-yeah. I'm Brian. I work with the Yankees." He said, leaving it at that. Usually that right there was enough to have to women welcoming him into their beds. This one though, she was different. She widened her eyes, as if asking him if he was serious.

"I, uh, we just lost our game and I was heading to my buddy's house when my car broke down." He said, pointing to the black Mercedes parked on the side of the road. "My phone's dead and it would be a good two-hour walk to his place. Would you mind if I borrowed your phone for a minute?" He asked as politely as he could.

Olivia thought about for the slightest of moments before opening her mouth, "Yeah, come on in." she agreed

Brian breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much, ma-"

"Olivia," she cut him off, "call me Olivia. " She offered her hand to him.

Olivia's breath hitched when he took her palm into his own. There was an undeniable spark, like electricity. It was something that she hadn't felt since Ryan passed away, something she didn't realize she missed so much. It hit her like a ton of bricks and took her completely off guard but she knew that something was different about the man standing before her.

* * *

**There you have it. Did you love it? Hate it? Let us know.**


	2. A New Beginning

**DISCLAIMER: SVU and characters are owned by Dick Wolf. **

novum initium: a new beginning.

* * *

"Uh, come on inside," She finally managed to invite him in, "The phone is in the kitchen, follow me."

Brian smiled slightly and nodded his head in thanks, following behind Olivia. Upon entering the house he looked around, it was nice and cozy, but not what he was used to.

"Here ya go. Let me know if you have any trouble." Olivia said politely, going over to help Sophia reach the sink to put her dishes away. By the time the table was cleared, Brian was done with the phone.

Sophia happily trotted over to Brian, "Hi, I'm Sophia" she introduced herself with grin. "I'm four. And that's my mommy, Olivia, she's old." Sophia said, pointing over to her mother.

Brian crouched down to meet the four-year old's height, "Well, Sophia, would you mind giving this back to your mommy and telling her I appreciated it very much?" He asked, holding out the phone. Sophia nodded and ran over to her mother, who was watching the entire interaction.

"The man said he 'preciated it."

Olivia smiled and picked up her daughter but she turned her attention towards Brian, "I hope you got everything taken care of."

"Yeah, uh, AAA said they could be here in about 40 minutes but you know how it is with them. It could take longer," Brian looked slightly awkward, "I can call my buddy, have him pick me up."

"I'm sorry, I would offer to drive you over real quick but I have my own personal circus to deal with as it is." Olivia said. In all honesty, it wouldn't be a big deal to run the poor guy to his friend's house, but she wasn't all too sure about him quite yet.

"Nah, I understand. It should only take ten minutes or so for him to get here." He said, making his way towards the door.

"You don't have to wait outside. It's gotta be fifty degrees outside and you're all dressed up."

"I wouldn't want to intrude on you two." Brian insisted, heading towards the door.

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm sure Soph would love to show you her Care Bears collection." Olivia said with a smile, not that she would actually let the middle-aged man anywhere near her daughter without careful supervision. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy and she trusted him enough to let him in her home but she didn't really know anything about him.

Brian cleared his throat before smirking, "Well, if you insist, I suppose I could stay until my buddy gets here."

Olivia's eyes widened slightly and just for a brief moment. He was obviously making himself comfortable, but the thing that caught her off guard was the fact that it didn't bother her. As if it's what she's been needing for years now; someone to joke around with, someone to relate to.

Olivia lightly smiled, "Good, are you hungry or thirsty? There's plenty of leftover macaroni and cheese from dinner, if you want any." Olivia said with a small laugh.

"You're just a regular gourmet chef, huh?" Brian joked with her, causing her to genuinely smile.

"Mama, can we play Candy Land? Pleaseee," Sophia begged her mother from her place on Olivia's hip. Jutting her bottom lip out she continued, "I really want to mama and I cleaneded all my toys up by myself."

Olivia pretended to think about it for a moment, "Hmm, I suppose we could do that."

"YAY! I get to be Princess Lolly and mommy you have to be Princess Frostine. Oh! Brian you're gonna be King Kandy!"

Brian laughed at Sophias excitement. He looked to Olivia for a sign of confirmation. She nodded her head slightly and smiled at the fact that Sophia already had the night planned out.

25 minutes later there was a knock on the door interrupting a very involved game of Candy Land. Sophia knew that it meant that Brian was leaving.

"No! We hafta finish our game! I'm gonna win!" She exclaimed.

Brian grinned at Sophia, "Well, maybe your mom would consider finishing on another night?" he looked towards Olivia who looked apprehensive.

"We'll see, okay? You know how busy mommy can get sometimes." She thought Brian seemed like a genuinely good guy but he was still a complete stranger. Olivia knew from her line of work that trusting somebody so soon could be a persons biggest mistake

Sophia seemed pleased with her mothers answer, "Mommy, give the man your phone number so that he can call you like my teacher does when I don't take my nap. Then he can come back and we can play Candy Land again!"

"Well aren't you the little match maker?" Olivia joked. "I think that sounds like a good idea. Why don't you go get your jammies on and I will walk Brian out, okay?" Olivia asked. Sophia nodded her head and ran down the hall to her bedroom.

When Sophia was out of sight Olivia turned towards Brian, "I suppose you're expecting my phone number now?"

Brian smirked at her, "Of course I am. I thought I would have to work harder for it but Sophia made it pretty easy."

"Don't flatter yourself. You're lucky she was here to be your sidekick. I'm only giving you this because we have an unfinished game of Candy Land and my daughter will never let me live it down if we don't finish it." Olivia said with a smirk as she wrote her cell number down on a scrap piece of paper.

"Trust me, I would've gotten it without my sidekicks help or not. I have my ways." Brian replied smugly.

Olivia rolled her eyes but a small smile played on her lips, "You better get going; your friend is here."

He wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her more than anything but he didn't. He knew that something changed tonight. He knew just how important this woman would be in his life. He didn't know how or why, but he knew that he couldn't let her go. On the other hand, he also knew his boundaries: they had just met, her daughter was a room away, and Olivia didn't imply that she wanted to be hugged or kissed.

"Okay, well, I guess I'll get going. It was really nice meeting you, Olivia." Brian held out his hand. Olivia gratefully shook it and smiled. "Tell Sophia I had fun playing Candy Land tonight." with that said he walked to the door.

"Will do. Goodnight, Brian." Olivia waved to him from the door as he walked out into the dark night to meet his friend.

When they were out of sight Olivia walked back into the house and closed the door with a content sigh. She couldn't help but think that something good was heading her way.

Speaking of good heading her way, Sophia soon bounced into the room smiling cheekily, "Mama, is Brian going to be my new daddy?"

Olivia sighed, "Soph, we already talked about this, if you do get a new daddy it won't be for a long time. But no matter, no one will ever replace your real daddy."

Sophia thought on it for a second, "I know, I know, but I really like Brian. Maybe he'd be a good daddy, too?" She asked, innocently.

Olivia smiled and picked her up, kissing her forehead, "Maybe someday, baby, but don't get your hopes up. You will learn soon enough that finding a good guy is hard to do."

"Was daddy a good guy?" She asked. The simple question caused tears to spring to Olivia's eyes just at the thought of her husband.

"He's the best guy I've ever known." Olivia smiled, holding her daughter close.

"How was he my daddy before but he's not now?"

"Baby, it's complicated. He will always be your daddy because we loved each other very much and when a mommy and daddy love each other as much as daddy and I did, they get a beautiful baby just like you." Olivia attempted to explain, knowing that her vague description wouldn't be enough to please her curious daughter.

"But what if you love Brian like you love daddy? Then will Brian be my daddy instead?"

"He might be called your daddy, but biologically, he won't be." Olivia said, regretting her words as soon as she said them.

"Bilogilly?"

"Biologically. What that means is that you came from daddy and me. You know the pictures where you are in my tummy?" She waited for her daughter's nod. "Well your daddy helped put you there."

"How?"

"Magic." Olivia said simply, hoping that'd it be enough to satisfy her daughter.

Sophia's little eyebrows furrowed together as she thought about it and he tongue poke out of her lips, just like her mother did when she was deep in thought, "Okay mommy, I 'spose that makes sense."

"Well, I'm glad you think so. Now it's time to take a bath and get ready for bed, lovey."

After forty minutes or so, Sophia was tucked in, a bedtime story had been read, and a song had been sung. Olivia turned her light out and closed her door.

She went through her typical nighttime routine of cleaning the house, locking the doors, and checking her email. It was after ten by the time all was done.

Olivia headed into her bedroom and brushed her teeth before changing into a nightshirt and some shorts. She made her way into her side of the bed and slid underneath the covers. She reached into the top drawer of her nightstand and grabbed the frame picture that was sitting there and had been for four years.

She ran her thumb over the vibrant colors. It was of herself and Ryan on their wedding day. They were standing close to a garden with the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen to this day. Ryan was being his playful, immature self and picked an entire bouquet for Olivia. He started playing the "she loves me, she loves me not" game and they were soon laughing hysterically. In the midst of their laughter, Ryan threw up the flowers, wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her into the air, kissing her as the petals fell down around them. It was one of Olivia's favorite moments of their wedding.

It had become a nightly ritual to hold the picture and, if she had a lot to say, talk about her day, or if she didn't, just tell her husband that she still loved him and was thinking about him.

Tonight was somehow different. She wanted to tell Ryan about what she was feeling but that involved explaining the possible fact that she might have feelings for another man.

However, when Ryan was alive they told each other everything and she didn't want to lose that connection with him, "Hi, Ry," she began softly, "Today was pretty eventful. I met a man, Brian, he reminded me of you in some ways. He was charming, great with Sophia and he gave me that same feeling you did. I don't know if this is going to go anywhere but...I think I'm ready to consider letting an-" Olivia began choking on her words, "another person into my life. No one," she said fiercely, "no one will ever replace you, but I feel like I'm ready to open my heart up again. I will always love you, Ryan."

And with that, she put the picture back and went to sleep.

* * *

**Love it? Hate it? Let us know what you think.**


	3. Tantrums and Kisses

**A/N: I wasn't going to update tonight but in light of things I've decided to go ahead and post the next chapter. First of all, this story is NOT co-written any longer, just me. However, everything from chapter one up to mid-chapter four WAS co-written. Confusing, huh? With that said, continue to review, favorite, follow and most importantly, enjoy!**

accipiens casus: taking chances

* * *

Olivia stood sideways in front of her full length mirror, as her eyes scanned up and down her body she couldn't help but let out a satisfied breath. She hadn't gotten dressed up to impress anybody in longer than she could remember. She was wearing a tight, dark wash pair of skinny jeans. The neckline of her shirt was low-cut but it definitely still left something to the imagination. Her eye makeup easy light and natural paired with a calming red lipstick. She pulled her ensemble together with a pair of three-inch, simple black heels and a small clutch that matched her shoes. Her hair was resting just below her shoulders in light, tousled curls.

She didn't have too much time to take in her appearance before she heard the patter of her daughter's footsteps racing towards her. She took one final look in the mirror before meeting the four-year old in the hallway. Sophia wrapped her arms around Olivia's legs and hid her face in her mother's knees. Olivia could feel her daughter's tight grip and lifted her up.

Sophia buried her face into her mothers shoulder, "Mommy, don't go."

Olivia sighed, she knew this was going to be hard on both of them. She had only attempted dating once since Ryan died and that was almost two years ago. Sophia was rarely away from her long unless she was at daycare while Olivia worked.

"Baby, we talked about this. I'm only going to be gone for a few hours and Uncle Fin will be here with you the entire time." Olivia explained.

"I don't want Uncle Fin, I want you." Sophia cried, tears running from her eyes. Olivia had learned early on the difference between her daughter's fake and real cries. Sophia was used to fake crying on a daily basis when her mother left for work, stopping her tears the second Olivia walked out of the day care and going to play with her toys. This time, though, Olivia was surprised by how truly devastated her daughter was at her leaving. Olivia held her tight and kissed her cheek.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Olivia tried to set her daughter down but wasn't surprised when Sophia tightened her grip.

"I bet that's Uncle Fin at the door, baby." Olivia said, prying her daughter off of her. Sophia, being the princess that she is, backed up to the wall of the hallway and sat down, her tears never stopping. Olivia let out a heavy breath and went to the door, opening it to see her date.

"Brian, you're early." Olivia pointed out, slightly confused at his response.

"Uh, yeah...I um..." He stammered. Olivia couldn't help but blush at the fact that he was obviously at a loss for words. She wasn't used to the attention unless it came from her four year old.

"It's okay, Brian." She laughed. "Come on in, my old co-worker is going to watch Sophia. Running late as usual." Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes, opening the door wider so that he could enter.

Brian still hadn't recovered from Liv's appearance. She was a vision. He managed to compose himself enough to reach out for her hand and bring it to his lips. He could tell that it wasn't something she was used to. She looked to the side slightly and the bright lamp that was on a table behind her illuminated her perfect curled hair. She was truly the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

The moment was interrupted as Sophia's wails from the hallway grew louder. Brian immediately snapped out of his trance. He brought Olivia's hand down but still held it as he looked passed her just a bit to see the four-year old laying face down on the hardwood floor, crying.

"May I?" He asked, hinting at talking to her.

"Good luck." Olivia smirked, looking back at her daughter.

Brian walked towards Sophia and crouched down to her level, "Hey, Soph. What's got you upset?"

Sophia's wails quieted at the recognition of Brian's voice. She looked up at him with her red, puffy eyes, "I don't want my mommy to leave me." her already tiny voice whispered.

"You love spending time with your mommy, right?" Brian asked. Sophia squinted her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

"Well duh, she's my mommy." The four year old replied, her tone going from devastated to completely sass-filled.

"Well I think it might be fun to spend some time with her, too. But I won't be able to if you don't let her leave for a little bit. Would you mind sharing her with me, just for tonight? Then you can have her back for the whole entire week. How does that sound?" Brian attempted to negotiate.

Sophia's bottom lip jutted out, "But why can't you spend time with mommy here? We can play Candy Land."

"I'll make you a deal, short stuff. You let me take your mommy out tonight and, if it's okay with her, the next time we want to spend time together we'll stay here, play Candy Land, and order pizza?" Brian suggested.

"Pizza with 'ponies?" Sophia asked. Brian looked to Olivia with an explanation.

"Pizza with pepperoni," Olivia told him. He smirked and turned his attention back to the toddler.

"Pepperoni pizza and Candy Land sounds perfect to me. What do you think?"

Sophia let a small smile show and nodded her head. Brian held his hand up for a high five and Sophia gladly accepted. Just then, another knock on the door broke their attention.

"That must be Fin." Olivia said, moving away from her spot leaning against the wall and walked over to the door.

Olivia walked to door, once she opened it she was immediately met with Fin's unimpressed scowl, "Is he here?" He grunted out. Fin hated the Yankees and the fact that they represented his state, but more importantly he had heard about how Brian acted with women, how he just played them. Olivia had explained to him multiple times that he wasn't really like that. Didn't change Fin's opinion at all.

Olivia chuckled, "Yes, Fin. He is here." Fin rolled his eyes and put on his happy face for Sophia.

Brian could sense Fins hostility toward him as soon as he stepped into the house but Brian played it cool for Sophia's sake, "Hey man, I'm Brian. It's nice to meet you." He stuck his hand out and waited for Fin to shake it.

Fin grumbled to himself but took Brian's hand anyway, "Wish I could say the same."

"Alright, children, Brian and I are leaving. Fin, you know Soph's bedtime, there's leftovers in the fridge. Not too many sweets, you know how she gets on sugar." Olivia reminded him. Fin nodded and glared at Brian once again. Olivia rolled her eyes and walked over to Sophia.

"Alright, baby, I will be back in a little bit, okay? Fin is going to feed you some dinner and maybe if you will ask nicely you guys can watch The Wizard of Oz, okay?" Olivia suggested. Sophia stuck her bottom lip out and tears filled her eyes once again. Olivia smiled in sympathy and ran her fingers through her daughter's long brown hair.

"You be good for Uncle Fin, okay, baby?" To that Sophia nodded and threw her arms around Olivia's neck. Olivia held her tight and soon pulled away from her but kept their contact.

"If you are good Uncle Fin then I will wake you up first thing in the morning and we can make your favorite breakfast, okay?" Olivia suggested. Sophia nodded again and wiped at her tears.

"Hug and kiss?" She asked her mother. It was their night time routine and Olivia wouldn't be there to tuck her in tonight. Olivia pulled her in for one more hug and kissed her cheek.

"I love you, Sophia Morgan." Olivia said, kissing her again on her forehead. Sophia returned the kiss and Olivia stood up. Brian gave her a small smile and held his hand out to her as he opened her front door. Olivia took it and let him lead her out.

* * *

About 30 minutes from Olivia's house, Olivia and Brian sat across from each other in a casual restaurant. Brian normally wine and dined the women he "dated", he had big money and he usually made sure they knew so. Olivia, on the other hand, did not come off as the type of woman who would be impressed by something so materialistic and he almost felt that he needed to hide his wealth from her.

The two were just finishing up dinner; they'd been in the restaurant for about an hour and a half now sharing food, laughs and smiles.

Once the waiter came by and dropped the check off at their table Brian instinctively reached for it but so did Olivia. Brian smirked, "Wouldn't be very gentleman like of me to let the lady pay on our first date, huh?"

Olivia chuckled, she already loved the way Brian could be smug yet so charming at the same time, "Who said you were a gentleman?" she sassed back at him.

He just smiled at her and laughed. "You'll find out soon enough." He said.

"And who said I would want to go out with you again?" Olivia asked, sarcastically.

"Oh please, I saw your smile the entire time. It wasn't one of those fake 'I want to get the hell out of here but need to be polite' smiles. It was real." Brian said to her, half joking.

Olivia looked down and smiled, obviously slightly embarrassed. Brian reached across the table and took her hand, waiting to talk until she looked up at him.

When Olivia did finally look up Brian spoke lightly but with a serious undertone, "Olivia you never need to be embarrassed around me and definitely not if it means you hiding your beautiful smile from me."

They were interrupted by the waiter who came by to drop off their check, however, as soon as he left Brian continue, "How does a walk around Central Park sound? I'm not quite ready for tonight to end."

"I think that sounds great. But I'll have you know that I rarely do anything but get a ride home from guys that I date. Especially on the first date."

"I see your logic but I already know where you live and I, being the gentleman I am, am not going to try anything. Especially with him at your house."

Olivia rolled her eyes at Brian's reference to Fin, "Okay, okay. Be a gentleman and pay the check and maybe I'll give you a goodnight kiss."

* * *

The sun had already gone down and the moon was out. Olivia and Brian were spread out on a blanket, which Brian had in his trunk for emergencies, gazing up at the stars. Brian held Olivia's hand in his own, his thumb rhythmically stroking hers. He turned his head to look at her and the moonlight reflecting on her face took his breath away. Brian wasn't a romantic a guy, not by any means, but Olivia made him want to be that guy.

Olivia tilted her head in Brian's direction and realized he was staring, "See something you like?"

"I definitely do. I see a beautiful woman who has me feeling things I've never felt before."

"Is that so? And what exactly does she make you feel?" Olivia wasn't sure where this was going but she decided to find out.

"Well, for starters she makes me feel like being romantic. She makes me want to stick around; not the usual dine and wine, bed and ditch routine." This was new territory for Brian, he had never really laid any of his thoughts or feelings out for a woman before.

"Usual routine?" Olivia smirked.

"Oh come on, like you haven't had a few one night stands in the last few years." Brian joked, regretting it when he saw Olivia's face drop.

Olivia's throat went dry. This wasn't exactly first date material, "No, no I haven't. I haven't been with anyone since my husband passed over four years ago." She whispered, leaving the statement at that. She looked back up at the sky but she could hear Brian let out a breath remorse. He obviously felt terrible for what he just said. Olivia would have reassured him and told him that it was fine, but she didn't trust her voice.

Brian opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't seem to find the right words. Instead, he brought his hand to Olivia's hair and softly began running his fingers through it.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"I do, I want to tell you about it but not right now. I just don't feel ready." Her voice was stronger than before but the difference from earlier was noticeable

"Whenever you're ready, I'm here." Now he was curious but she wasn't ready and he respected that, he wouldn't push.

Olivia let out a shaky breath but focused once again at the stars. Brian's hand found hers and her continued the pattern of his thumb on her skin. Almost twenty minutes passed in comfortable silence before Brian noticed Olivia shivering. He smiled slightly and turned towards her.

"You getting cold?" He asked, not surprised when Olivia said no.

"Yeah right. It's almost eleven thirty, Fin was planning on you being back hours ago. What do you say we get out of here? New York City after midnight is never a pretty picture." Brian joked, if only he knew the half of it. Olivia just laughed along and agreed. Brian helped her off of the ground and they started their walk back.

* * *

It was almost midnight by the time they got to Olivia's house. Brian held her front door open and they walked in. Fin was entertaining himself by watching, and laughing, at a cop show. Olivia laughed when he hurried to turn off the tv when he heard them walk in. Olivia decided not to embarrass him and let it go.

"How was your date with Mr. Perfect?" Fin asked, purposely making Olivia blush.

"Better than any date you've probably had in the last few years." Olivia threw back at him. She kept looking down the hall, as if Sophia was about to barge out of her room. Brian could tell that she was dying to make sure she was okay.

"You go check on her, I'll wait for you out here." Brian said as he rubbed her shoulder lightly and gave her a slight nudge towards Sophia's bedroom. Olivia nodded appreciatively and walked away. Fin didn't miss a beat in approaching Brian.

"Listen to me, man, I don't know what Liv sees in you but I know what she doesn't see. She doesn't see the scumbag who uses women for attention and she doesn't see the rich guy who always wants the spotlight. I swear to God, if you try and play her like you have other women you've "dated", there will be hell to pay, you hear me? You hurt her and I will kill you." Fin said under his breath, making sure he was quiet enough so that Olivia and Sophia wouldn't be able to hear him.

Brian's eyes turned cold at the suggestion that he would hurt Olivia. "I would never hurt a woman like her. You don't get it, man. She's different. I actually feel something for her and I adore Sophia. I have never met a woman as incredible as her and I'm not going to blow my chances."

Fin gave him a disapproving look but nodded, nonetheless. He decided to take the high road and keep his opinions to himself. He knew that Brian, being the wannabe gentleman that he was, would want a moment alone with Olivia before he left.

"Tell Liv not to worry about owing me anything and that I'll see her in a bit." Fin said. And with that, he walked out.

Brian watched as he left and chuckled when he was gone, he felt bad for Olivia having to put up with him. But the feeling didn't last long. Olivia soon emerged from Sophia's bedroom with a content smile on her face.

"She good?" Brian asked as he met Olivia in the living room.

"100%," Olivia replied. "Did Fin leave?"

"Yeah, said not to worry about owing him anything." Brian told her. She nodded and was at a loss for words when she realized that she had just gone on a successful date with a man for the first time since Ryan passed away. Luckily, Brian snapped her out of her trance.

"Unfortunately, I guess I should be on my way. It's getting late and I want to make sure you get your rest. Knowing that little girl in the next room will probably be up before the sun, ready to see you." Brian said with a smile.

"I guess you're right. I'll walk you out." Olivia told him, heading towards the front door. Brian followed closely but stopped her when her hand touched the doorknob. She turned towards him and gazed directly into his eyes. She felt his touch ever so slightly on her cheek bone, brushing away the curl that had fallen in front of her eyes. He brought both hands to cup her cheeks and took in her beauty.

"I really want to kiss you..." He whispered, as if asking for permission. That struck something in Olivia's heart that she didn't even know was there. He wasn't interested in her breasts or her body like most men would be, he simply wanted to know her. It was innocent.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Olivia said, trying to keep her voice steady. Before she could comprehend what was happening, Brian brought her face closer to his and held her where they were barely inches apart. He looked into her eyes once more before gently resting his lips upon hers, taking in the softness and true grace that they held. He felt Olivia's arms rest on his torso as she deepened the kiss, separating her lips slightly and letting him past her barrier. The walls that she had so carefully built up over the years came crumbling down as she realized just how much she cared for this man after knowing him for such a short time.

His tongue invaded her mouth softly and he soon pulled back, knowing his boundaries. He rested his forehead on hers and kissed her once more before breaking contact. Olivia had tears in her eyes when they found each other again. It was as if Brian was a new person. He suddenly understood.

"I can tell how nervous this is making you, Olivia. I want you to know that I won't hurt you. I will never be able to understand personally, but I can only imagine how hard this must be for you. I'm not going to ruin this."

One tear escaped Olivia's eyes and Brian was quick to brush it away.

"Thank you for understanding...I appr-" Brian cut her off with a small kiss on her lips.

"You never have to thank me. Never." He said, pressing his lips to her forehead and savoring the feel of her.

"It's getting late. I have to be up earl-"

"Say no more. I'll see you later, Olivia. Thanks for a great night." Brian told her, opening the door and smiling at her once more before closing it behind him.

Olivia let out the breath that she had been holding and closed her eyes, unsure of what to think or how to feel. All she knew was that something was different about Brian.

All she knew was that there was no turning back.

* * *

**There you have it. Love it? Hate it? Let me know.**


	4. Crossing Lines

**A/N: Super short update but I wanted to get at least something up tonight. I've been a little blocked with the plot but hopefully I'll have an update within the next couple of days. As always, enjoy and please review.**

omne genus: family is everything

* * *

The next morning Olivia got called into work early, after dropping Sophia off at daycare and stopping for a cup of coffee she made her way into her work building with a smile on her face and bounce in her step.

Olivia was formerly a detective in Manhattans Special Victims Unit but after Ryan's death; coping, raising her daughter and the heavy stress from her job became too much so she turned in her shield for a less stressful career of rape crisis counseling. Of course she still dealt with heavy material and it was still stressful, but not nearly to the extent of working at the Special Victims Unit.

Walking down the hall she passed Matthew Edward's open office door, her co-worker and friend of almost three years now, was perched on his desk flipping through a stack of paperwork when he glanced up at Olivia, "Someone had a good night, huh?"

Olivia just rolled her eyes and smiled, banter between herself and Matthew were a common occurrence, "As a matter of fact, yes, I did have a good night. A terrific night."

Matthew smirked, "Ah, a terrific night. Lucky guy."

Olivia chuckled at his comment and sat her purse down on her desk in her office, which was across the hall from his. She had her own office but didn't spend all of her time in there. She was often left with nothing to do throughout the day because of how fast she got her paperwork done after so many years at SVU. There were multiple times every day that Olivia would end up in Matthew's office or she in his. Over the past three years she had confided in him plenty of times and she now considered him a close friend, like a brother. Not only was she close to him but his wife, Charlotte, as well. Charlotte and Matthew had a son, Tyler, who was Sophia's age and a daughter, Isabella, who was just barely a year old. They may not have been blood related, but they were family to Olivia and Sophia and family was everything.

"So, this guy, anyone I know of?" Matthew fished for details.

Olivia smirked and walked into his office, sitting in the chair that was in front of his desk, "You're an American male who follows baseball, so yes. You most likely do know him."

Matthew looked slightly shocked, "Olivia Parker is dating a baseball player?"

Olivia glanced around even though they were obviously alone and lowered her voice, "Not quite. It's..he's Brian Cassidy."

Matthew's eyes about popped out of his head, "The Brian Cassidy? As in millionaire sports agent Brian Cassidy? Damn, Olivia. Going from the perfect Ryan Parker to Brian Cassidy. Interesting choice." Matthew joked, forgetting how sensitive of a subject Ryan was to Olivia. He knew he made the wrong choice of words when the smile disappeared from Olivia's face and her eyes got glassy with unshed tears. Olivia was never much of a crier, she preferred to keep her emotions to herself, however, her late husband was a sensitive subject to her.

"I didn't ask for my husband to leave me. I didn't choose this. Besides, you don't even know Brian. Hell, I barely know him. But he's not what you think." Olivia said, trying her best not to sound angry.

"Shit, Olivia, I didn't mean for it to sound that way. I know you didn't choose for Ryan to leave." Matthew rarely overstepped when it came to talking about Ryan. Olivia used to, and still does, talk about him and how great he was to her. There hadn't been one time that she didn't get emotional if he was ever brought into the conversation. Matthew would occasionally say something on accident that struck a nerve for Olivia.

Olivia sighed and took a deep breath, "I know, I know you didn't mean it that way but that doesn't make it any less painful to hear. It's fine, really." She said, trying to compose herself. "I have an appointment in a little bit so I'll talk to you later." And with that, she walked out.

Olivia took a deep breath and stepped into her own office. Matthew was her best friend, he was like a brother to her, but at times he crossed a line. It usually wouldn't take a grown woman four years to get over the loss of her husband. Or at least be able to talk about it without getting emotional.

Maybe It's because she has had little to no support, maybe it's because his love is the only love that she has known for years on end. It only took a month or so for her to leave the unit because of how crazy her schedule had become. Her former captain, Don Cragen, had tried numerous times to rearrange her work hours in order for her to feel more secure with the time she had with her daughter. Her co-workers filled in for her whenever possible. But it only took getting called in once at some ungodly hour for the stress to return. In the end, she resigned from SVU and became a rape crisis counselor. Her hours were consistent and over time, she was able to arrange her own schedule completely. Truth be told, she loved her job; she had the luxury of flexible work hours and the satisfaction of still being as able to help survivors.

Because of her absence at SVU, she inevitably grew apart from her co-workers. They talked often but their time spent together rapidly decreased. They still keep in contact to this day, but things are just different. She had Matthew to talk with and his shoulder to cry on if ever needed, but she felt that she was being a burden to him, as much as he tried to tell her otherwise.

Olivia took another deep breath as she sat down at her desk, running her fingers through her hair she glanced at her clock. It was only ten o'clock which meant she had about five more hours in the office. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock.

Leaning against the door frame was Matthew with a sheepish, half smile and a bag of M&M's, "I got you something."

A small smirk played on Olivia's lips, "You really know how to woo a woman, huh? Charlotte really scored with you." She joked. His wife was a very laid back woman that actually understood Olivia's relationship with her co-worker unlike one of her former partner's wife. Olivia and Charlotte got along well and their children did, too.

"You know it. You should be counting your lucky stars that they stuck you with me." Matthew said, sarcastically. "But really, Olivia, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I wasn't thinking and, well, I'm a guy. We typically don't think very much."

"Believe me, I've learned. Don't worry about it. I just overreacted." Olivia told him, genuinely sorry for overreacting to such a minor comment.

"Nah, It's fine. But, since I shouldn't worry about it...does that mean I get to keep the M&M's?"

Olivia stood up and walked towards Matthew, snatching the small, brown bag of candy from his hands.

"Not a chance in hell, Edward's."

"Honestly, Olivia, I am sorry for what I said. I know how much he meant to you and I can only imagine how hard it must be for you. I can only hope that Mr. Cassidy lives up to your standards." Matthew joked. Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes.

Matthew let out a small laugh and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her hair. Their hugs were rare but not unheard of. Unlike at SVU, their jobs wouldn't be in jeopardy for showing affection in the office.

"Thanks, Matthew." She whispered as they embraced.

"Anytime, Liv. Anytime."

* * *

**Next chapter: Some more quality time between Liv, Brian and of course, Sophia. Be sure to let me know what you thought of this chapter.**


End file.
